22.8: Difference Between MLA and APA
- Page ID
- 315381
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)As previously discussed, MLA and APA require different elements in their citations. This is not just due to style preferences, however. Many of the choices each association made when creating their citation formats have a reason. MLA is largely used for arts and humanities topics, and APA is largely used for works in the social sciences. Each of these disciplines have different needs, so the formats are slightly different.
For example, the year of publication is often extremely important in the social sciences as the reader needs to know if the information is the most up-to-date. Although a date might be important in works in the arts and humanities, often the exact location of the information is more important. In other words, this is why the in-text citation for APA always includes a year.
It might include page numbers if something specific has been referenced. On the other hand, MLA always includes the exact page number where the information can be found. In both in-text citation formats, the author’s last name is presented. That is because who authored piece is extremely important to both disciplines. Readers need to be able to check credentials and see if the author or authors are reliable.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the major differences between the two formats. If you are copy and pasting information from a citation generator or our library’s databases, this can help you to determine if you clicked on the correct citation format. Also, it can help you to determine if your in-text citations are in the correct format.
| MLA | APA |
|
Source List Title: Works Cited |
Source List Title: References |
|
Block Quotes: 40 or more words |
Block Quotes: 4 or more lines |
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Paraphrase In-Text Quote: Mention the author’s name and paraphrase what the author said Patel claims that studying in small increments is far more efficient than studying for long periods of time (125). |
Paraphrase In-Text Quote: Author’s last name, comma, year (Patel, 2021) |
|
In-Text Citation, One Author: Author's last name and page number (Patel 125) |
In-Text Citation, One Author: Author's last name, comma, year, comma, "p.", and page number (patel, 2021, p.125) |
|
In-Text Citation, Two Authors: Authors' last names with an "and" in between and the page number (Patel and Wu 125) |
In-Text Citation, Two Authors: Authors' last names with an "&" in between, comma, year, comma, "p.", and page number (Patel & Wu, 2021, p. 125) |
|
In-Text Citation, Three Authors: (Patel el al. 125) |
In-Text Citation, Three Authors: (Patel et al., 2021, p. 125) |
|
In-Text Citation, Multiple Pages: Author’s last name and page range (Patel 125-137) |
In-Text Citation, Multiple Pages: Author’s last name, comma, year, comma, “pp.”, and page range (Patel, 2021, pp. 125-127) |
|
Works Cited Entry, Title: The first letter of every important word is capitalized Online Learning in Today’s World |
References Entry, Title: Only the first word is capitalized Online learning in today’s world |
|
Works Cited Entry, Year: Placed toward the end of the citation, no parenthesis 2021 |
Reference Entry, Year: Placed close to the author(s)’ name(s), in parenthesis (2021) |
|
Works Cited Entry, Page Numbers: “pp.” and the page numbers toward the end of the citation pp. 125-127 |
References List, Page Numbers: Just the page numbers toward the end of the citation 125-127 |
|
Works Cited Entry, Author’s Name: Last Name, First Name Patel, Ritu |
References List, Author’s Name: Last Name, First Initial Patel, R. |
APA Red Flags
Here is a helpful checklist that might help you to identify if you have accidentally placed source in APA rather than MLA. Also, if you are selecting sources from our library’s databases, many of them have a feature called “cite”, “citation”, or “cite now” which will provide the citation to you! Be sure to scroll to the correct source format.
- Source list: The author’s full first name is missing. Only the first initial of the first name is present.
- Source list: The second piece of information in the citation is a year in parenthesis.
- Source list: Only the first word and traditionally capitalized words are capitalized. Remember in MLA all words are capitalized in a title, except for articles (that is, “unimportant” words “a”, “an”, and “the”).
- Source list: If there are a lot of authors (up to 20), all of them are listed. Remember, in MLA, if there are more than three authors, the other authors are listed as “et al.”
- Source list: The database information is missing for a source from a database. Remember, MLA requires the title of the database and often the DOI (direct object identifier) or URL (website).
- In-text citation: The author’s last name and year are present rather than the author’s last name and page number.
- In-text citation: The author’s last name and year are separated by a comma. Remember, there is no comma in in-text citations for MLA!